Change is in the air at CRVI, which celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2019. Ever the groundbreaker, the renowned Lévis center is entering a new era.

Passing the management torch

Yves Dessureault was appointed CRVI’s general manager on June 17, 2019. He succeeded Alain Bordeleau, who took a well-earned semi-retirement after 12 years in the position. Mr. Dessureault has more than 30 years of experience in innovation and research team management in the manufacturing industry and in research centers. With his broad experience, vision, and leadership, he was the ideal person to take the reins. “I’m proud to join a team of seasoned experts and continue developing the center, which is widely recognized as a leader in its field,” he said.

A revamped mandate approved through 2024

 Not surprisingly, CRVI passed the five-year evaluation by Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur and Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation with flying colors. On August 21, 2019, the center’s proposed mandate was approved for a five-year period. Developing the new strategic plan was an opportunity to redefine CRVI’s mission in light of recent technological advances in artificial intelligence (AI). “The center’s mission is now to harness the potential of artificial intelligence in robotics and vision to make companies more competitive,” said Mr. Dessureault.

CRVI’s research program will be geared toward AI-assisted industrial automation. “The goal over the next five years is to invest $2 million in our programs and $2.5 million in modernizing our facilities,” said the general manager.  CRVI is also pursuing strategic partnerships with key stakeholders and businesses in the region to address needs in three specific areas: digitization, labor, and organizational competitiveness and flexibility. The center will continue to build on its state-of-the-art facilities and welcoming work environment to help attract and retain top talent from Canada and around the world. Another strategic priority will be getting younger researchers and teaching staff to play a greater role. “We want to get more students and professors involved in our research program so they can have a greater say in the content.”

A whole new image

Revising and updating CRVI’s mandate and priorities resulted in a major revamp of its image. The new website launched in November with a complete facelift. The logo was redesigned to emphasize Robotics, Vision, and artificial Intelligence, the center’s three areas of expertise. “The subtle C symbol is a visual representation of key aspects of the center’s past and future—our strategic business partners, a computer bar code, a camera lens, and robotic movement.

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